Cold Discipline
by brave1
Summary: "Frost is strong, but lacks judgment. I will deal with her." Continuation of Frost's cameo in MKX. How will Sub-Zero deal with his protege's behavior?


"There will be no peace, Scorpion!"

Hanzo ducked just in time to avoid the oncoming ice-blast. He turned to see a girl with spiked hair charging towards him.

"Frost," Hanzo hissed. He glanced over his shoulder at an equally shocked Sub-Zero. "The Lin Kuei are truly without honour!"

Frost tried to throw a left hook, but Hanzo merely sidestepped and parried before snapping a roundhouse that knocked her down. He turned to face Sub-Zero.

"Master Hasashi, wait-" Kuai pleaded.

"For what, more treachery? I will have your head!"

Hanzo threw himself forward at the Lin Kuei sifu. Punches were blocked, kicks dodged; arms and legs absorbed every strike. At no point did Sub-Zero attempt to go on the offensive or counter. Finally a spear-hand made it's way to the abdomen, causing Kuai to hunch over as the wind was knocked out of his gut. Hanzo shot a palm strike to the jaw that sent him down hard onto the ground.

The Shirai-Ryu master drew one of his swords from behind his back and held it over Kuai's head.

"Our story ends here!"

"No!" Frost cried out as she drew her dagger and lunged-

And collided with an ice-blast that trapped her from head to toe.

Hanzo turned to see Sub-Zero getting back on his feet.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Hanzo demanded.

"I did not bring you here for treachery," Sub-Zero replied apologetically. "Frost is strong, but she lacks judgment. I will deal with her."

Hanzo glanced back at the Lin Kuei disciple. While her body was frozen, those beautiful blue eyes still followed him.

Kuai ushered Hanzo towards his chambers out of ear shot.

 _Damn him_! She thought. First he had the audacity to invite Scorpion of all people here, but to actually let him live?

She tried to struggle, but the ice was just too strong, even for her in spite of her own powers. She simply decided to give up and wait.

.

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VENICE, CA

 ** _"Announcing a surprise guest for our first ever Celebrity Deathmatch... In her Bloodcage debut, daughter of schlockbuster legend Johnny Cage - here's CASSIE CAGE!"_**

Cassie was thrown into the octagon where she struggled to squint in the intense lighting. She could hear the crowd boo and hiss. Getting to her feet, she turned to the crowd and flipped the bird.

"Bring it on, starsuckers! I'm the best fighter here!"

 ** _"Facing Cassie in the cage tonight, with twenty-one wins, no losses, thirteen flawless victories and twenty-one fatalities, here's FROST!"_**

The crowd's insults towards Cassie turned to cheers of joy as Frost appeared in a cloud of smoke.

 _"Frost! Frost! Frost!"_

Frost raised her hands as though she were receiving each cheer the way a lover receives a kiss. She smiled with honest joy as she lavished in raw glory.

"Some Beverly Hills brat?" She sneered. " This will be easy!"

 ** _"ROUND 1 - FIGHT!"_**

Cassie raised her fists, only to have Frost pivot and lash out a tornado kick. Cassie went down, her mouth filled with blood.

"Spoiled little princess," Frost cooed as she bent down to whisper in Cassie's ear. "You're only here 'cause your rich daddy fake-fights. I'm an orphan. I earned my spot here in sweat and blood."

"You don't think I know about sweat?" Cassie shot back as she drove her forehead hard into Frost's nose.

"Hate to disappoint you, Elsa, but like my rich daddy says-" she sweeped under Frost's leg and took her to the ground, wrapping her calves across the cryomancer's neck. "-You can't fake a comeback."

.

.

.

After what felt like an eternity, Scorpion and Sub-Zero finally came back out.

"There is a debt to be paid," Hanzo said with conviction, "and Quan Chi will pay for it."

"The Netherrealm has dishonoured both of our families, Master Hasashi," Sub-Zero replied.

Hanzo placed an assuring hand on the other ninja's shoulder. "We will get Bi-Han back, Kuai. I promise."

The two men saluted and bowed to each other before Hanzo started to make his way down the mountain. Kuai waited until he was out of sight before he approached Frost. With a single tap of a finger the ice shattered, freeing her.

"I could have taken him!" She screamed.

" _What in the world were you thinking?!_ " Sub-Zero demanded. "He could have killed you!"

"You could have stopped him yourself," Frost objected. "Instead you held back!"

"I have only been a teacher for half a decade," Sub-Zero replied. "Hanzo Hasashi has been a _Soke_ for four times as long. If I do not have as much experience, what chance would I have against him?"

"I may only be your student, but compared to you, one fact remains," Frost answered slowly. "I've actually killed more people than you have!"

"You honestly believe that fighting in a cage for the applause of others and the glory of money comes close to what I'm seeking to prepare our clan for? I took you in because I could see in you the potential to be more than just a gladiator or prize fighter, but someone who would avail themself in protecting earthrealm. It seems that you are yet to transcend petty ambitions."

Frost said nothing in response.

"You accuse me of holding back, and say that you have more experience because you've killed more?" Kuai asked. "Very well. I'll honor your boast."

" _Sifu_?"

Kuai gestured towards the weapons rack. "Choose."

Frost sighed and selected a bokken-

"No," Sub-Zero said. "Select one with a live blade."

 _Is he nuts_? Frost thought. But the calmness on her sifu's face said otherwise. She selected a pair of Baat Cham Dao - Butterfly Swords.

"If I defeat you," Frost said, "you will renounce your rank and call me 'master'."

"Providing you actually let me live?" Sub-Zero replied. "Come, girl. Attack."

"You haven't selected your own weapon," Frost said.

Kuai merely presented his open hands. "You think me unarmed?" He threw a right jab that connected hard against her temple.

"Arrgh!" Frost roared as she swung at her master who only sidestepped, causing her to trip and stumble. Recovering, she lunged forward, thrusting and cutting only to have Sub-Zero duck and weave.

"Stop evading me!" She screamed.

"As you wish," he replied as he reached and grabbed one of the blades with her bare hand. With his other hand he materialised a sabre blade made of solid ice, the tip only a hair's width from Frost's throat.

"Had enough?" He asked.

Frost's eyes flashed in defiance as she swung her free arm. Kuai ducked, spinning to bring his elbow hard against her exposed flank, the following through by driving the blade of his ice-sword through her abdomen.

"Master!"

"The wound is not lethal, it will heal in time," Sub-Zero said. He allowed a deep breath. "When you first came to us, you were burning with ambition. But now I fear for the coldness that creeps into the heart of anyone who chooses the life of killing rather than fighting for justice. A lesson that you are clearly yet to learn."

He stepped forward and whispered into into her ear. "If you cannot control this coldness, it will only consume you. And when that happens, pray to the elder gods that they grant."

"You..." Frost tried to speak, but was stunned as she looked down at the wound where her master had withdrawn his sword. She could feel that familiar coldness creep throughout her body. And within seconds she was frozen once more.

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 **a/n: I've been asked if this is a one-shot or it is ongoing, and the truth is I don't know as we're yet to see what happened to our darling Frosty after MKX. Apart from that, please feel free rate and review as well as read my other MK fics (most of which tend to be comedy for some silly reason)**


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